As above, so below

Southern Lord and Facedown Records have put out free label samplers.  The Southern Lord one is downloadable here or here.  I was curious what a “chopped and screwed” Sunn O))) track would sound like, but unfortunately (fortunately?) I didn’t hear any stutter edits suitable for sizzurp sippin’.

Interestingly, Southern Lord has been acquiring bands that move faster than 2mph: The Accüsed, Black Breath, Trap Them, and recent signing The Secret.  I had previously written off the latter as a Converge clone, but people seem excited about them, so maybe they’ve found their own sound.  Or maybe people get excited about Converge clones.

Facedown lies in the opposite compass direction.  I once attended Facedown Fest, the label’s annual festival, and was astounded to find mosh pits and prayer circles taking place literally next to each other.  I’ve hardly felt so heathen.  But I talked to bands and people from the label, and every one treated me decently, engaged in open dialogue, and had progressive ideas about religion.

Christianity and Satanism are branches of a tree I don’t believe in, but I’ll still learn from them.  Satan has the best music.  God listens to Slayer, probably because half of them are on his side.  But Facedown is mounting an increasingly viable opposition.  War of Ages may be the best melodic death (life?) metal band today.  Hands may be the best NeurIsis band today.   Parts of Facedown’s roster are downright brutal with deathcore bands like Wrench in the Works, Impending Doom, and Saving Grace.  You can hear them in the free sampler downloadable here (enter code “FACEDOWN”).